Forgotten Earth
by Eblis
Summary: Wizards fighting for their way of life leads them to be able to fight for their lives.
1. Chapter 1

This story is a Harry Potter / Warhammer 40K Cross-over.

It's an Idea that I've had kicking around in my head for a while now. Figured I'd get it written out to try to exorcize it.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
Scotland.  
18 September 1996, 17:52.

I was sat in the great hall with the rest of the school, enjoying the fine foods that were on offer. It was two weeks since I'd returned here from my so-called relatives', where the food was, shall we say, not as abundant as I would have liked. But I did as I always did, I survived.

That's a funny thought. Not funny-ha-ha, more funny-weird. Survive. According to the prophecy, that's all I can do. Not 'live', as it decided to put it. Personally, I have no idea what it's talking about, but then again, I wouldn't expect anything that actually makes sense - coming from the demented predominantly fraudulent divination teacher, as it did.

Looking up to the Staff table, I notice Dumbledore standing at the lectern up front for an announcement. Must be something serious for him to be interrupting a meal. I find myself hoping no one has been hurt.

"Attention, Please." He began, waiting for the noise permeating the hall to die away. "I have just been informed that we are to be hosting a contingent of specialists from the Ministry, due to an unknown phenomenon that has been afflicting wizard-kind in several areas. They will be arriving at any time now with a full squad of Aurors. Please do not interrupt them in their work, as it is of the utmost importance. Several students and staff will be called upon to aid them in their investigations."

Well, that wasn't exactly what I was expecting. With the War with Voldemort gathering pace, I had feared the worst, but then again we weren't being given many details. An 'unknown phenomenon' could be just about anything.

"What do you think that's all about?" Ron asked from the other side of the table, half a mouthful of food showing as he talked.

"Ron, if I have to remind you about talking with your mouth full again, I'm going to charm your lips shut." Hermione told him with a disgusted look, while Ron had the decency to look sheepish. She turned to me, "He does have a point though, the Headmaster was being somewhat vague."

"How should I know? You guys have seen him more than I have this year. He seems to be avoiding me again." I respond, trying my best to not sound bitter about that fact.

Hermione's pitying look, god how I hate that look, is cut off by the doors banging open to reveal a group of five men in white robes trailed by a dozen Aurors. They hurry to the front of the room. "Headmaster, We're Division Three. You should have received notice of our arrival." The lead 'specialist' announced.

"Indeed, we'll set you up on the third floor, please follow me." Dumbledore answered before leading the men away.

Unspeakable Research Outpost.  
Third Floor, Hogwarts.  
23 September 2006. 18:30.

"Thank you for showing up promptly, Mr. Potter. I am Unspeakable Teller. Please be aware that everything that happens here is being classed as a Category 1 National Secret. As such, this is a standard magically enforced Non-Disclosure agreement, please sign it so that we can move on." The nondescript man sounds worn out and in dire need of a bit of sleep. He hands me a sheaf of parchment. I glance through a few of the clauses simply outlining the fact that I will be unable to share any details about any of the work happening with the Unspeakables with anyone that isn't a part of 'research project 4724', until released from the NDA or past the 31st October, when another NDA may need to be signed.

I sign with a quill and hand the stack back to the Unspeakable. He nods, hands me the back copy, folds the rest and taps them with his wand. Once they have disappeared, he turns and leads me into the room. "How much have you been told about what we are doing here?"

I decide that honesty is the best policy here, no need for a lie to be the first thing out of my mouth. "I have only really heard rumours, Sir." I take a moment to glance around. The old class room has the rest of the research staff working at several floating blackboards filled with incomprehensible equations, some in three dimensions and some that are painful to look at. The Auror contingent was sitting off to one side, apparently playing cards. Unspeakable Teller makes an impatient noise in the back of his throat and motions for me to expand. "That you are researching a way to stop people turning into squibs." 'Or turn muggle-born into them' I figured that the last would not have been political of me to say out loud, but it was one conclusion that the Hogwarts rumour mill had thrown up.

The Unspeakable palmed his face briefly. "Well, that is more than we were hoping for people to have picked up on so far, but it isn't that far from the truth." It was my turn to look expectantly for a more straightforward answer. "It may be easier to show you, Mr Potter."

He made a beckoning gesture as he turned and walked to the far wall, moving a blackboard out of the way to reveal a magical map of the country, sparkling with coloured ley-lines and areas that appeared tinted.

"These coloured lines are the ley-lines that bisect our world. You have learnt of them in your classes, yes?"

I nod indicating I do. The intangible magical pathways regulated magical power, as one of our few non goblin related History classes had taught us.

"Now, the coloured areas, they are the ones we are researching. For some reason, between ley-lines, magic is, for lack of a better term, fluctuating." Teller tapped one of the areas, a triangular green one, with his wand. Somewhere around Nottingham would have been my guess, without any city reference on the map. "This is one of the larger ones. Last estimate of its size was 4 square miles and growing."

"Sir? What do you mean by fluctuating?" I was confused, this didn't seem to be making sense.

"Exactly what I said, Magic is unstable in these areas." He seemed to give me a measured look, weighing up how much to tell me. I must pass the test. "Most witches and wizards have a ... talent. A gift for a spell or two in one of the branches of magic over others. Have you noticed this with yourself, Mr. Potter? Somewhere that you have excelled beyond your year mates?"

I nod. "Summoning and Banishing charms, Lumos and the Expecto Patronum."

He looks pleased, as though I have just affirmed what he thought when he decided to tell me this. "I expected as much. You are a powerful young man, Mr. Potter, to have four such proficiencies." Turning back to the map, he gestures to the green glowing triangle, "any spell but a wizards proficiency in these areas have not worked. Magical Items have become inert within the fields effects."

That pronouncement left me stunned. "But, what could do something like that? Is it ... Is it Voldemort?" I gasped, hoping that that was not the case.

"We are ... Unsure as to the cause, but we do not believe it to be the work of any Witch or Wizard. This appears to be a natural phenomenon, but not one that we have ever seen the likes of." Teller looked like he had swallowed something bitter to make such an admission. "We need to figure out what is happening so that we can stop it or counter the effects."

"I'm sorry sir, what does this have to do with me?" I ask, honestly confused.

"Mr. Potter, You have been chosen, as the magically strongest student currently attending the school, to help us in our study. We need to see how the magic 'dampening field' affects your core and magic." He gestured to one of the other researchers who stepped over. "This is Unspeakable Penn. He has a Gift for Occlumagi spells."

"I can see Magic." Penn speaks up with a jovial sounding boom clearing up my confused look. "If you agree, Mr. Potter, we'll be working closely." I nod and he grins. "Good, good. Now come along, we need to get you measured so that we have a base for comparison.

Unspeakable Research Outpost.  
Third Floor, Hogwarts.  
13 October 2006. 13:23.

Three Weeks. Three bloody weeks. That's how long it has took them. Every spare minute not in class, eating or sleeping has been spent in this poxy, dusty, stale, old, musty, craphole of a room. That's when I wasn't released early from class so that I could come and stand here like a bloody Lemon anyway. Or had to skip a meal or two and have some sandwiches up here. Or sleep in the bloody room so that these voyeuristic perverts could watch me sleep.

I sigh, trying to release my frustration into the air. I'm getting a bit too worked up, but you would too, Getting barely any social time, casting spell after spell, holding the magic so accurate readings could be taken, notes could be collected, or in one instance, a watercolour painting could be made.

"Ok, Harry. We're done." Penn announced and I drop the combined summoning/banishment of the cushion I have hovering in front of me, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Sure, a cushion may not be manly, but we'd sort of learned the hard way that anything hard or with corners was not a good idea for when my attention wavered or if i dropped the summoning before the banishment. Well, Auror Riggs had learned the hard way anyway, if the way he still favoured his shoulder after a week was any indication anyway. Served the smug bugger right anyway.

"OK, so what time do you want me tomorrow?" I ask, glad to be off the hook for the rest of the day. Images of playing chess with Ron or flying around on my Firebolt broom running through my head.

Penn smiles, "No, I mean that we are finished documenting your core and magic. It's time to move on to experimentation."

Teller walked over from his seat by the map where he'd been working on a stack of parchments as thick as my forearm. "Not a moment too soon either. The area that I showed you when we first started has ... well, it would be better to show you." He led us over to the Map, which I had mostly ignored after Tellers original presentation to me.

"Is that ..." I could barely believe it. The tinted areas were much larger than before.

Teller Sighed. "Yes, the areas have increased dramatically in size. The four square mile area outside of Nottingham has increased to an area of approximately 120 square miles, covering the entirety of the city and extending into the countryside. This remains the largest of the areas, however. The same episodes are occurring around the world. The problem seems to be spreading."

"Just means we have to work quickly." Penn announced in his typically jovial manner. He gathers up some supplies and hands me an uncharmed satchel, matching his own, stuffed with paper and god knows what. "Mckenna, you ready?"

The Apparition specialist nodded and rose to join us.

"Just do everything that Penn asks of you Harry. Hopefully this will give us some of the answers we've been looking for." Teller stated, before he turned back to his desk and started thumbing through his notes, apparently his end of the conversation over.

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.  
Edge of Dampening field.  
13 October 2006. 18:06.

Four hours of testing, it's taken so far. Penn had me cycle through a few spells when we first got here. I got nothing. Well, almost nothing. I may as well have been babbling nonsense when I tried to get a stone to rise with _Wingardium Leviosa_. _Point Me_ had me talking to an inert stick that laid in my palm, not even twitching. _Aguamenti _didn't produce a drop of the water it should have.

_Accio _and _Depulso_ worked pretty much as normal. Lumos produced a dimmer glow than usual, but it still worked. My Patronus came out as a silvery mist, rather than the fully formed stag that I typically got.

A bit of surprise came when I tried _Incendio_. I got a spark, not much, but it was something. It excited Penn since it wasn't one of my self professed proficiencies. After about half an hour, he came to the conclusion that a spell or magical effect I wasn't familiar with was a proficiency of mine.

"Ok, I think that's all we're going to get for now. Not as much detail as we'd like to have, but it's a start." Penn stated, seeming to will the magical effect away from his eyes.

"Are we going to have to come back tomorrow, sir?" I ask, wondering if this was going to kill another of my weekends.

Penn shook his head slightly. "I don't believe so. I don't think that I can get any more detail than I already have. It's frustrating not being able to cast any diagnostic spells." I could hear the annoyance bleeding through in his tone. He pushed it away with a visible effort. "Let's find Mckenna before it gets dark and be off, I need to get these results collated and cross-checked."


	2. Chapter 2

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
17 October 1996, 18:26.

Once again, I sat in the great hall for Evening meal, Ron and Hermione sitting opposite. Our friendships had been strained lately, what with me being co-opted by the unspeakable and not able to truly explain, due to the NDA. Hermione and some of the other upper years had also been drafted into some sort of research project headed by the Astronomy department, with some of the Unspeakables either helping out or directing the investigation. From photographs on some of the black boards in the research room, it looked like there was a storm in space or some sort of nebula that they were interested in.

I finished my meal, feeling just slightly too full. After the few weeks I'd had by this point, I thought I was more than entitled to stuff myself silly.

"And dad says the Goblins have closed down the bank. It's caused a bit of an uproar. He said that last time they did it was because they were gathering troops and stuff for a war." Ron was excitedly telling us.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that" Hermione protested.

"Well, what would you know? Talked to many Goblins lately? Is Gob going to be a partner to Spew now?" Ron sounds inordinately pleased with himself. He thinks he's a wit. Sometimes I think he's at least half of one.

I half smile at my own observation, but Ron notices and looks smug seeming to take that as directed at him. Hermione hasn't noticed, so I decide to try and head off an argument before it can get built up too big to diffuse.

"Well, I never..." Hermione seemed to get ready to launch into a lecture. Best cut in.

"Do you think it has anything to do with the ... stuff that's been happening?" I frown, realising that this conversation could be a little difficult when I'm unable to speak about what I want to ask.

Hermione frowns too, and starts to look just as frustrated as I feel. I realise something.

"Non-Disclosure?" I ask my bushy haired friend. She looks shocked. Ron looks confused.

"How did you ... You're under one too, aren't you?" She was always a bit quick off the mark, but it surprised me that I had been the first to figure this out. I guess she's had a lot on her mind with whatever it is that they've been studying.

"Yep, I guess that ends this conversation." I answer, feeling a little better that I'm not on my own in being able to discuss what was going on in as much detail as I would have liked with my friends.

"Whatever you guys are on about, it sounds troublesome." Ron threw his two bits in, frowning in confusion.

"Believe me; you don't know the half of it, mate." I respond. "What else has your dad had to say?"

"The ministry's trying to keep a lid on everything, but there are magical exclusion zones all over the country. Whatever's going on, it's big."

I got the feeling that may have been the biggest understatement ever uttered by the mouth of man as I noticed Dumbledore approach the speaking Lectern at the head of the Hall, flanked by Unspeakables Penn and Teller.

"May I have your attention, please." Dumbledore announced. He was looking as weary and tired as I had ever seen. The hall quietened quickly, all eyes turning to the headmaster. "Thank you. I have some disturbing news to impart. These two men are from the Department of Mysteries. Please listen to what they have to say." He gestured to the two Unspeakables, and Penn stepped up to the lectern.

"Thank you, headmaster. Good evening, students. We have been instructed to give this news ourselves as our colleagues give a press conference at the Ministry. As you know, we have been conducting a study for the past month on several phenomena. We have come to some startling and, frankly, worrying conclusions."

Teller waved his wand and two large boards appeared behind them. I recognised the magical map on one, with the other showing whatever it was the astronomy department had found.

"Several areas of what has been classified as 'Warped Space' have been found in the solar system. This would seem to be a natural phenomenon, and we have seen several such occurrences before, apparently caused by the odd Comet like body." Teller changed the image from the large storm-like picture to one that looked akin to a small puff of cloud.

"The Warped Space seems to be having a negative effect on the Ley-lines of earth, destabilising the natural magical grid to a devastating extent. Magic within an area affected has been rendered useless and any magical construct or effect rendered inert. These areas are growing, in size and power." Teller made the coloured areas of the map glow brighter, showing that it had spread to nearly a third of the country.

"Magically saturated areas seem to be affected the least, with most Family homes and areas of high magical density, such as the school, not affected yet. This phenomenon has been happening worldwide from what we have been able to gather, with nowhere seemingly unaffected."

"Over the next few days, several departments of the ministry are being moved to Hogwarts as we believe that this will be the last area to become affected. Anyone under the strictures of a Non Disclosure agreement is hereby unbound, but please, do not pester anyone who may have helped us in our studies. Any information they could possess will be disseminated soon once facts have been checked. Thank you. Headmaster?" Penn stepped back, allowing Dumbledore to step back up to the lectern.

"You may be wondering why you aren't feeling more of a reaction to this news." Dumbledore ran his gaze around the room and I found myself realising that even though the worst possible outcome had happened, I wasn't feeling the horror I felt I should. "You are all under the effect of a calming field. This effect will last for the next 2-3 hours. Please return to your respective common rooms and await your heads of house. We will do our best to answer any questions or fears that you express."

As Dumbledore moved away and began a conversation with the two Unspeakables, I returned my attention to Ron and Hermione. "Big is maybe putting it a bit mildly." I announced, seeing the anxious looks on my friends faces.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
30 October 1996, 13:57.

It'd been nearly two weeks since the announcement of what was happening and about a week since the majority of the ministry was moved to Hogwarts. The shock of what seemed to be happening hadn't really worn off, since everyone was simply trying to cope with the sudden changes.

Hundreds of families, including the Weasleys, were camped out on the school grounds, several strict warnings, which had mostly been headed out of fear about the use of structural enchantments made the sudden shanty town roughly the same area as the castle.

I find myself wondering what would happen when the 'novelty' wore off the situation. Families with feuds dating back years, decades or centuries cramped together. Nothing good, I'm sure, which is why I am currently wandering the halls. Ron spending time with his family and Hermione trying, rather successfully, to lose herself in books left me feeling alone and bored. I could have joined one of them, but at this time of year, I didn't want a reminder of the family that I didn't have, which ruled out spending time with the Weasleys, kind as they were. As for spending time with Hermione, well, I could never lose myself in a book as fully as her. Not on some esoteric subject that I didn't care two jots for anyway.

Finding a spare space in the castle was hard nowadays. People were crammed into nearly every room and even if you found an empty one, people kept coming round to find their own empty room, so that left wandering.

This is what led me to walking past the second floor girl's bathroom for the third time today. I suddenly remembered about the chamber. How could I be so dense? The so-called 'Monster' was slain, by my own hand no less. I slipped in after checking the corridor. Last thing I need is someone to see me creeping into a girl's bathroom.

Myrtle is in her stall, I can hear her quiet sobs. I roll my eyes and move over to the sink. "Open." I say to the carved tap. Obviously it came out in Parsel-tongue instead of English, because the sink ground aside to reveal the pipe down. Double checking I had my wand to aid getting back up, I jump in, hearing the sink grind back into place behind me.

The corridor leading to the chamber is much as I remember it. The greenish gloom didn't quite reach the walls or ceiling. The shed skin of the Basilisk is still there, although half of it is crushed by the partial cave in caused by Lockhart.

I pick my way through to the door at the end of the corridor. Hissing "Open" yet again. The doors swing open without a sound, revealing the chamber proper. The Basilisk is laying where it was fell, succumbing to the passage of time as any corpse will. The statue of Slytherin was stood with its mouth hanging open and arms spread, robes hanging loosely, looking like a priest delivering rhetoric.

The stone columns though, they seemed to be giving off the sickly green glow suffusing the space to a much greater degree than last time. I step over to one of them and inspect it closely. What I had thought was wood inlay in the stone was actually a tarnished metal. Copper or Bronze, by the looks of it. I ran my fingers over one of the insets, a double headed bird.

The pillar felt warm and seemed to thrum with power under my touch, and I let out a strangled cry, stumbling back, as the pillar suddenly began to grind around. A 180 degree turn and the previously hidden back side of the pillar revealed a bank of lights and what looked like Muggle electronic equipment. A screen burst into staticky life, throwing out a weak grey light.

'What is this place?' I wondered with awe. What on earth was this sort of thing doing in Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber? It didn't seem to make any sense.

I looked around to the other seven pillars around the room. Would they do the same? There was only one way to find out. Fortes fortuna adiuvat and all that.

The six following pillars all ground around and revealed their hidden back side when the double headed bird was touched. The rest of the pillar seemed to not respond, when pressed, rubbed or even poked with a wand.

When the eighth and last pillar ground around, there was a distant rumbling sound seeming to come from beneath the floor. I looked down, wondering whether this was actually a good idea and fearing the possibility or the floor giving way and plunging me down into the depths. I gripped my wand tighter; preparing to cast anything that I could that might help.

I wasn't quite expecting a hum to come from the far end of the chamber on the ceiling. A plinking sound echoed through the chamber as a bank of electric lights flickered into life, followed by another row and another. I stood there in shock, watching the lights go up and throw the chamber into bright, unyielding light.

The space it revealed was almost cathedral like in its construction. A large vaulted roof, looking like the Great Hall, carved in a dense gray stone, on top of the eight pillars inlayed with what I could now see was tarnished gold. The walls were the most startling thing though. Painted frescos of apparent saints and warriors, recessed behind kneeling statues clad in armour facing toward the giant statue of the Hogwarts founder, all of whom, and even kneeling, were a head and shoulders bigger than me.

This whole chamber would not be unbefitting of a place of worship. I find myself gaping, while looking about, fascinated by the whole thing, feeling tiny and insignificant in the face of such Glory.

'Glory? Where did that come from?' I wondered to myself, unable to tear my gaze away from each new detail I could see. It felt right though. This place was built in veneration of someone or something. Obviously, Slytherin himself. I glanced over to the giant statue again, suddenly realising that it looked out of place now that the lights were on and showing things in detail.

I walked closer, peering up, trying to put my finger on the subtle sense of wrongness.

Then it hit me, the texture of the stone was off, it seemed rougher. So too did the carving work. While the other statues, pillars and ceiling all looked like the work of true Artisans, Slytherin looked like the work of a rank amateur. I moved closer, over the vast central floor space, trying to get a better look.

As I got closer to it, I could see that the huge stone Slytherin was stood in front of another screen. It must have been put there after the Chamber was built. Probably by Slytherin when he, what? Found this place and decided to use it? I had no idea. Dumbledore would probably be able to guess better than me.

I decided then to go and find the Headmaster. This was definitely something that he would want to see. Current crisis notwithstanding.


	3. Chapter 3

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
30 October 1996, 15:03.

I got to the Headmaster's office within five minutes, quite a good time considering the ever shifting maze of the castles interior. I took a few seconds to catch my breath.

The corridor to the chamber of secrets had lit up, similar to the rest of the chamber on my exit, revealing another large set of double doors opposite the entrance to the chamber. Careful inspection had found they led to a spiral staircase, exiting, after a hissed "Open" into the second floor boys bathroom. A worn snake on the back side of one of the taps denoted the entrance.

Feeling less like I'd been running, I stepped over to the Gargoyle protecting Dumbledore's office. With no idea on what the password would be, I made a guess.

"Emergency." I stated calmly, mostly expecting it to not work.

There was the grinding sound of stone again, assaulting my ears. A sound I was beginning to find annoying. I almost expected to see furrows gouged from the stone under the gargoyle, but after a thousand or odd years, you'd have expected it to have worn through to the floor below. Must simply be charmed in some which way, wasn't important, I wondered why I'd thought it. Must be the stress, I thought, my minds way of trying to keep me from focussing on the headache that I'd uncovered in the chamber.

I hopped up the rotating staircase two at a time, a holdover from when I used to run up escalators, I suppose. When I got to the big Oak Double doors, I stopped and knocked. "Enter" Dumbledore's voice came through and I pushed the doors open, stepping inside.

"Hello Professor. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." I saw that Penn and Teller were sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk, and gave the two a small wave, which was returned.

"Perhaps we should continue our discussion some other time, Professor?" Teller said, turning to the Headmaster.

"Let's see what young Mr. Potter has to say before we go making assumptions, Mr. Teller." Dumbledore smiled towards me. "Am I to understand there is an emergency, Harry?"

I suddenly felt sheepish, "Not exactly, Professor." I paused for a second to try to put my thoughts into order.

"I find that the beginning is always an excellent place to start when explaining a situation, Harry." Dumbledore smiled towards me.

I took a deep breath and released it, deciding that the beginning would be the best place to start.

"Ok, well, I was bored with Ron and Hermione off doing their own thing, so I was wandering about. I was on the second floor and passed the girls toilets, so I figured that I'd... explore a bit." I was starting to realise how much of an idiot I was making myself to sound in my own version of events.

And also making myself sound like a pervert, given the looks on their faces. Dumbledore's expression cleared to a look of understanding before I could back-track, he almost whispered "The chamber of secrets."

I nodded, "Yeah, while I was down there, it changed. I made it... The Pillars rotated, and there were screens or something and lights..." I trailed off at the looks of incomprehension I was receiving. "...maybe you should just come and see?"

"Gentlemen? Would you care to join us?" Dumbledore rose from his seat, while giving the offer to the two unspeakable who glanced at each other before also rising. "If you would do the honour of leading us, Harry?"

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
30 October 1996, 15:23.

"Remarkable." It was the eighth time I'd heard that comment from one of the three, and I couldn't find it in myself to disagree with the assessment.

"You say you touched one of the symbols and it brought all this to life?" Teller was looking at me and gesturing to one of the pillars.

"A double headed bird." I said, seeing that there was another of the symbols underneath the screen on the pillar he gestured to. "This one." I stepped closer and tapped it with my finger.

At my touch, yet again, something happened. Nothing as grandiose this time though. What looked like a keyboard folded down from the pillar, while the screen suddenly cleared, showing the Bird symbol rotating, with what looked like a human skull, half of which was machinery, over a cog underneath.

"An Aquilla? And the Mechanicus emblem?" Teller gasped, causing Dumbledore and Penn to rush over. "Impossible?"

"What is it?" I asked after it appeared there were no answers coming voluntarily for those of us that haven't studied strange symbols.

"My word, Harry!" Penn breathed. "This is incredible. The Aquilla and Mechanicus symbols are unknown remnants of a past civilisation, mostly attributed to Atlantis. This is thought to be the icon of the builders of the Great Sky-City. But nothing like this has ever been found, simply broken ruins and shattered relics. If this is real, this is the greatest archaeological and anthropological find since... I have no idea. This is absolutely priceless."

"It's real." Teller announced, putting his wand away. "No standard spell is getting any reading. It appears to not exist according to magic."

"How can that happen?" I asked. To me, that sounded worryingly similar to what the unspeakable had been researching.

Penn turned to me again, "Every artefact we have recovered from the Atlanteans has been highly magical, yet totally immune to standard detection spells and our best research into the subject has shown that each item, no matter how seemingly insignificant is imbued with a power similar to that of 'holy' objects, only to a much greater degree. It would seem that this 'Faith' is what imbues the magic into the items."

Teller was pressing a few keys on the keyboard, with little apparent success. "It doesn't seem to want to respond. Harry, you had some luck before, come try it." He motioned to the keyboard.

I looked to Dumbledore for a little guidance and he simply made a 'go ahead' gesture. I stepped up to the keyboard and pressed a button at random. The screen flickered as the symbols disappeared for a second to be replaced by five smaller icons, each denoted by a letter.

There was what looked like a set of sliding controls 'C', a box with some sort of antenna was next 'V', then a pair of strange looking guns crossed 'A', a set of bars in a graph 'P' and what looked to be a representation of the solar system 'S', finished off the set.

"Press the 'S', please, Harry. Let's see what information we can gain from this wondrous machine." I'd not seen Teller this happy about anything.

I pressed the Letter on the keyboard and the screen changed again.

+ + = = + +  
Date: 8 830 012 M42  
Warning: Daily Prayer Maintenance has not been performed for 2130222 Standard Solar Cycles.  
Functionality may be reduced pending repairs.

Alert: Sensorium I: Offline.  
Alert: Sensorium II: Offline.  
Alert: Sensorium III: Offline.  
Alert: Sensorium IV: Reduced Functionality.  
Alert: Sensorium V: Offline.  
+ + = = + +

"2130222 Solar Cycles?" I asked in confusion. "What does that mean?"

Dumbledore was the one to answer, sounding flabbergasted. "I don't quite understand the dating notation, but 'solar cycle' seems clear enough. If this is as accurate as I believe, it has been nearly 6000 years since the original occupants of this hallowed place were present."

"6000 years? Is it possible? Are our estimates on Atlantis so far off?" Penn asked, seemingly himself.

"Try typing in Sensorium IV, Harry." Teller instructed.

+ + = = + +  
Sensorium IV... ... ... Processing ... ... ...  
Sensorium Outpost IV: Location: Victory at Lantis.  
Status: running at 3% Peak Efficiency.  
Alert: Immediate Maintenance or repair may be necessary.  
+ + = = + +

"Victory at Lantis?" I repeated. "Does that mean ..."

"I think so. 'Victory at Lantis'? Is it possible, we've found Atlantis, the lost Sky-City? It's possible that in the few surviving records, the 'victory' part was thought to be superfluous." All three of the men with me seemed totally stunned by the magnitude of the find. Probably a good thing that I was completely out of my depth, meant that I could stop trying to figure things out and let them work it out for me and fill me in.

Before I could ask anything else or for them to ask me to type anything else in, another section of text started rolling across the screen.

+ + = = + +  
Warning: Warning:  
Warp Incursion detected by Sensorium Outpost IV.  
Warp signature identified as Orkish.  
Threat Level: Significant – Apocolypse level.  
Recommendation: Imperial Reinforcement Requisitioned. Be prepared to defend areas of strategic importance until relief arrives.  
+ + = = + +

"That does not sound like a good thing." I commented dryly as the three started a quiet discussion that I couldn't make out despite being only a step or two from them. A charm, I thought to myself. Probably the Headmaster's doing, since I don't think either of the Unspeakables would have left me out of the conversation, seeing as I seem to be the one that this Computer likes operating it.

"We need some more background on what is going on here. Maybe there is a database that could tell us about these 'Orks'. Can you get us back to the main screen, Harry?"

"I think so. Maybe if I..." As I carried on working at the computer, I got the feeling this was going to be a long night.


	4. Chapter 4

+ + Data Transcript of Meeting 6 062 176 M36. + +  
Present:  
Deacon Anderson – Adeptus Ministorum  
Confessor Wolfe - Adeptus Ministorum  
Master Zweibel – Administratum  
Ordinate Melchior – Administratum  
Magos Yost – Adeptus Mechanicus  
Logis Burley – Adeptus Mechanicus

Anderson: What is this about Yost?

Yost: Burley, Show what we have found.

Burley: Thank you Magos. Over the past week, several of the Sensorium outposts have detected mild Warp instabilities in the Oort cloud surrounding the system. However, the instabilities are not the concern in and of themselves. The concern is that when viewed along a time scale, we see that they are building in duration, intensity and size.

Zweibel: What does this mean, Logis Burley?

Burley: The data is thus far inconclusive.

Yost: It's a damnable Warp-storm brewing. Every simulation run has shown the same outcome.

Anderson: This would make sense of what we have been experiencing. The Emperor's Blessing and Guidance has been difficult to perceive. Brother Maynard has reported that the local inhabitants, while receptive to the God-Emperor's Glory in the guise of a powerful warrior and 'Mage', as the locals call Psykers, they are finding it especially difficult to find comfort through prayer.

Zweibel: Magos Yost, do we have any idea on time scales here?

Yost: Unfortunately not, as with many things relating to the Emperium, it has shown little consistency in growth.

Zweibel: Would we be trapped here if it were to boil over?

+ + Fragment Missing + +  
+ + Error Code 404 + +  
+ + End Data Transcript + +

* * *

+ + Data Transcript of Meeting 6 601 176 M36. + +  
Present:  
Master Zweibel – Administratum  
Magos Yost – Adeptus Mechanicus

Zweibel: Magos Yost, thank you for coming so quickly.

Yost: Zweibel? What is this about? You know not to interrupt at a time like this. We are in the middle of several very important rituals.

Zweibel: There have been Astropathic Messages received from the Sol System.

Yost: Sol? Mars?

Zweibel: Indeed. They were sent via. Administratum channels, to avoid the Ministorum.

Yost: Avoid the Ecclesiarchy? What are you talking about, Zweibel?

Zweibel: Perhaps you should read the messages first. Here.

Yost: Vandire? He's made a power play of this magnitude?

Zweibel: It would seem so. According to Administratum messages, it would seem that your Adeptus is aiding the Administratum and the Space Marines in bringing Ecclesiarch Vandire to justice on Terra.

Yost: This is terrible. Not since the Heresy has something of this magnitude made itself known!

Zweibel: Indeed. A pressing question for us though, is what do we do?

Yost: The Deacon?

Zweibel: Yes, Deacon Anderson was a staunch supporter of Ecclesiarch Vandire. I do not know if he would go against him, even when he is being branded a traitor.

Yost: We need to have a full meeting.

Zweibel: Bring your Aide. We may need the numbers on our side if this goes the way I believe it might.

+ + End Data Transcript + +

* * *

+ + Data Transcript of Meeting 6 605 176 M36. + +  
Present:  
Deacon Anderson – Adeptus Ministorum  
Confessor Wolfe - Adeptus Ministorum  
Brother Maynard – Adeptus Ministorum  
Master Zweibel – Administratum  
Ordinate Melchior – Administratum  
Magos Yost – Adeptus Mechanicus  
Logis Burley – Adeptus Mechanicus

Zweibel: Deacon Anderson, I am sure that you have had word from Terra, much as I have.

Anderson: Indeed, I have indeed been informed of the situation surrounding Ecclesiarch Vandire and the current strife befalling our brothers elsewhere. I have prayed long to the Emperor for Guidance on the issue.

Yost: And your conclusion? I am getting impatient.

Anderson: The Emperor works in mysterious ways.

Yost: Meaningless rhetoric. I have no time for your long speeches that say nothing. Get to the point Anderson.

Anderson: My soulless friend, I am indeed coming to the point. The Adeptus Mechanicus has committed treason and Heresy against the Emperor!

Yost: Insanity! The Mechanicus has been protecting the worlds that your precious Ecclesiarch has been attacking with no provocation. It is the head of your damnable Cult that has been commiting the Treason and Heresy!

+ + Fragment missing + +  
+ + Error code 404 + +


End file.
